Buzzards survive Olney fightback to secure second away win

Buzzards' Euan Irwin evades a challenge against Olney. Photo by Chris Bateman.

Leighton Buzzard ran out 17-20 winners at Olney on Saturday for their second away win of the season.

Olney began the stronger side but Leighton soon opened the scoring when James Brett’s penalty gave them a three-point lead, that soon followed by another to make it 0-6.

But Olney were soon awarded a penalty in the Buzzards half and they took a quick tap and scored out wide, the try unconverted.

Five minutes later Buzzards were denied a try from Joe Healy as the referee was unsighted, but Matt Bloxham soon went over in the corner with Brett converting for a 5-13 lead.

Matt Bloxham goes over for a Leighton Buzzard try at Olney.

Just before half-time, a lineout on the 22m line was a catch and drive to Buzzards who marched all the way to the line but were brought down just short of scoring. A quick tap from the penalty put flanker Mike Robert over to further extend Buzzards’ lead. The conversion by Brett made it 5-20 at half time.

The second half saw Brett putting a penalty wide after slipping as he made contact, before another Olney try, this time converted, reduced the arrears.

The final quarter of the game was filled with Leighton penalties and eventually Olney managed to score again from a kick through in the middle of the field in the dying seconds to leave the final score 17-20.

The result moves Leighton Buzzard up one place in the league.

This weekend is a rest week for the league and Buzzards then welcome Peterborough to Wright’s Meadow on the 26th November.